Harry Potter and the Secret of Voldemort
by Cali Finn
Summary: Harry, Hermione, Ron and their new friend Sarah are about to find out a starteling revelation about Lord Voldemort. Their world will be shifted in ways beyond repair.A darker look at the world of Harry Potter and the real scars that run deeper than skin.
1. Encounter with Snape

Sarah hated being in the dungeons for one reason and one reason alone, windows. There were none in the whole of the dungeon, not even little ones in the higher areas. Everything had a dark and gloomy feel to it. _No wonder Slytherins are so miserable all the time, I would be too if I lived down here._ She thought to herself. The winding catacombs seemed too menacing, especially the first few times she had visited the dungeon.

She kept up a quick pace while down in the lower areas. She knew that Hogwarts was old, very old. Remembering what her guardians had told her "Old things live in old places. Old things are something you must learn to avoid in the wizarding world". They had been a quite couple who raised her for most of her years. Until she was 8 years old to be exact, when for some reason they felt that they could no longer do a proper job of the task and handed her over to a new family. She felt so betrayed that day, so alone and rejected. One good thing did come of that, and his name was Draco. The Malfoy family didn't hesitate to bring her in like she was one of their own, Sarah would later learn how truly strange this was.

Sarah lived with them until they started to attend school. Draco and Sarah became quickly inseparable until Draco was sorted into Slytherin and Sarah into Gryffindor. But they did find ways around it; Draco had shown Sarah the ways through the dungeon into the Slytherin dorms. Where she was now headed. She made a left and then a right, two more lefts and she would be there when all of s sudden she ran right into a tall dark form. She jumped back quickly trying her best not to look too startled.

"And where are you headed?" It was professor Snape. He was no one who would challenge her, but for some odd reason he didn't seem to like her very much

"I'm…I'm" Sarah had no word. She couldn't very well tell him where she was going; it wasn't allowed to have someone from another house in your dorm. "I'm lost" she finally managed to say. It was stupid she knew, and he wouldn't believe her but he wasn't going to bother her about it. One of the up sides of being a newly found member of the Malfoy family, no one ever seemed to want to challenge you.

"Right, lost" he said coyly, as if trying to toy her into giving him the real reason. And it's not like she wasn't thinking it. She wanted to, purely to see what he'd do; she wanted to back him into a corner for it.

"Lost" she repeated.

"Very well, I'll show you the way out of the dungeon." Snap said "come along" he took her by the arm and began to drag down the halls close beside him.

It took a few minutes to find the way out of the catacombs but it took Snape far less time than it would anyone else. He knew the dungeons better than anyone. He even took a few turns Sarah didn't know existed; nor would be able to remember. They wound up standing just outside the great hall. Snape turned to Sarah sharply and looked around before pulling out his wand.

"What are you doing?" She demanded

"Well you should understand" he began, walking towards her igniting little sparks out the tip of his wand "why we can't have someone like you wandering around the castle unsupervised. Trust me young one, you do not want to be left alone where just anyone can find you" He stepped forward, cornering Sarah against a wall. She had no idea what on earth he was talking about; all she knew was that she was in a bad position. She moved for her wand.

"Ah- I don't think that would be in your best interest." Snap said catching her arm and moving the sparks closer to her face, she was beginning to feel the heat against her cheek.

"Sarah!?" A familiar voice called. It obviously startled Snape as much as Sarah because he pulled back quickly.

"We are not finished Sarah, I will be speaking to Dumbledore about this." Snap gave a quick glare and left.

"What on earth" Sarah whispered under her breath. The voice had been that of Ron Weasley, a boy not unknown to anyone. He was best friends with Harry Potter and a fellow Gryffindor.

"Are you alright?" Ron hurried over and asked. "That Snape can be a real nutter"

"Yeah" Sarah whispered. She didn't know if it was the excitement, the unreleased adrenaline, or just plain fear but she all of a sudden didn't feel very well. "Um, I think I had best get back to the Gryffindor tower." She said, taking only one step before collapsing on the floor.

"Bloody Hell!" Ron shouted, jumping forward to catch her. Sarah quickly tried to steady herself, but the room was spinning and she could no longer move, or speak.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sarah heard the shrill cry of Hermione Granger, a snotty stuck up girl with whom Sarah never particularly got along with. Simply because they were both very pushy people, they often clashed out of sheer desire to be the most important.

"She's having a bit of a trouble walking. She had a nasty run in with Snape, I don't know but I think he may have done something to her…she's just gone limp" Ron said, picking up one of Sarah's hands and letting it fall limp. Sarah made an uncomfortable groan.

"Oh goodness, here let me help you!" Hermione stuffed the books that she had been carrying into her bag and took Sarah's other arm over her shoulder and helped her stand. Sarah let out another groan, this one sounding more apologetic than anything else. She didn't understand why Snape would curse her. The best bet was that it was simply to keep her out of the dungeons for the rest of the night. He certainly accomplished that.

"Should we take her to the infirmary?" Ron asked

"I guess so, but I don't know how we'd explain how she got like this. We can't really say that Snape did it, though I don't doubt he did I know others might." Hermione replied as they began to make their way down the hall. "I don't think we have any other choice." Hermione and Ron started their way in the other direction, more towards the infirmary when Harry showed up

"I've been looking for you" he said stopping in mid sentence to ask the obvious "What the hell are you doing?"

"Well…she's uh paralyzed" Ron said with a sort of embarrassed laugh. Sarah groaned again, she just wanted to get out of there. She was now probably the most embarrassed out of anyone.

"Oh…right then." Harry said, obviously trying to make sense of it all. Though he didn't seem too fazed; where most kids would be completely shocked by a paralyzed girl, Harry simply offered to help. "Hermione, let me help carry her so you can run up to Mme Pomfrey and let her know were on our way.

"Got it" Hermione said and dashed away with her book bag in hand.

Sarah felt totally helpless as the boys dragged her through the hallways. _This is so ridiculous._ She thought to herself. It wasn't usual for her to be in a position like this; helpless. She didn't like it at all, mainly due to the fact she was in the arms of a boy who had long been looked at as an enemy in the household she grew up in. _If only Loucious could see me now._ She let a small smirk crawl across her face.

"Think this is funny do you?" Ron said, obviously discomforted by the whole thing.

"Nu-uhhs" Sarah murmured out. She then realized that the effects were slowly wearing off. She had begun to regain movement in her lips.

"Hey Ron, by the way…who's this?" Harry asked in a coy tone. It hadn't really occurred to Sarah that she had never actually been introduced to Harry. She of course knew who he was, but she on the other hand was never really noticed in class other than in a debate against Hermione.

"Oh, right this is Sarah…uh…Well actually I don't know her last name. She's a Gryffindor like us; I know you've seen her around once or twice." Ron seemed to drag on "She was my partner a couple times for some projects and such, she's quite bright-"

"I get it Ron" Harry finally cut off. He smiled graciously. Sarah would have given that smile five stars any day, he really was charming. _Shut up, this is Harry Potter…he's not cute. _She had to tell herself. She rolled her tongue to get the feeling back. Not enough to say anything just yet. But she didn't think she'd actually have to; Mme Pomfrey came bolting out of the infirmary just as they got to the doors

"Oh for goodness sakes" She let out "You boys, I see far too much of you boys!" she shouted.

"It wasn't us!" Ron said loudly in protest.

"Oh I know that, Miss Granger told me everything. What a silly girl to think she could pull off that spell on her own" Mme Pomfrey lead the way into a hall filled with beds and bedside tables, everything in a pale sickly blue color. The boys dropped her onto the nearest bed. They had about as much idea of what Hermione would have told Mme Pomfrey as Sarah did; none. Though Sarah had a feeling it couldn't have been anything very nice, considering Hermione's general distaste for Sarah's uncanny ability to make her feel inferior.

"Yeah…what was she thinking" Ron smiled. "But you can fix her right?"

"Of course I can!" Mme Pomfrey seemed almost insulted by the question. "You can come see her tomorrow, now you need to leave" Mme Pomfrey ushered the three of them out leaving Sarah at the mercy of the very large- and now angry- nurse. _Thanks Ron_


	2. Mr Malfoy

Sarah woke up a few hours later. Mme Pomfrey had obviously drugged her; she didn't care all too much because as far as she could tell everything worked. Sarah moved her legs around and wiggled her toes. Thank goodness. She felt her face and sighed with relief. Sarah then sat up and turned to the mirror next to her bed. Everything looked to be in place and nothing was wrong, but she didn't enjoy lingering at the mirror too long. She had always been told she was beautiful-whether by Draco or anyone else who looked at her for more than a minute- She had medium length blond hair that waved slightly it occasionally seemed curly and she also had a pair of the coldest eyes; dark grey, like the sky before a storm. This allowed her to fit in as a Malfoy extremely well. Not to mention she had features and a figure most girls her age fight to maintain, but she didn't even bother. Sometimes she felt more like a porcelain doll than anything else. When she looked in the mirror she didn't feel real, she saw something in herself she could never identify but instinctively did not like. She had always wondered if others could feel it too, and that's why she'd never been any good at making friends.

"Mme Pomfrey?" Sarah called out "Are you there?" She didn't see anything wrong with calling out. There was no one else in the infirmary and she didn't want to be waiting there all night, though she didn't quite know what time it was. She thought about that for a moment. _How long have I been here?_ She wondered. It could have been hours…maybe days if she had really been that badly cursed. After all Mme Pomfrey is not a mind reader, and Hermione didn't tell her what really happened. _What if she treated me for the wrong thing? _She panicked and began pacing around the room

"You're up" There was the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs. The smooth voice was unmistakable, it was Draco. "I was beginning to get a little worried. Professor Snape told me that he found you in the hall and you weren't feeling well. I thought that I had best check up on you. Are you alright?" He approached her in a way only Draco could, a movement that seemed like he had just drifted across the room to her. Sarah knew very well the kind of effect that Draco had on girls- and women for that matter. Between his looks and his charm and uncanny self confidence he really was a picture perfect kind of guy. Though he did have a dark side which seemed to limit his likeability greatly. Sarah had only ever known the side of Draco that was warm and safe; others felt cold sharp spikes behind his every word.

"I'm fine" Sarah said bluntly. "Just felt a little funny that's all. Passed out and woke up here" she felt bad for not explaining fully to Draco, but it wasn't a total lie. She did feel funny alright, but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to tell him about Snape…or Harry and his friends for that matter.

"You're a terrible liar" Draco snapped

"I'm not a liar." Sarah retorted and began to walk out of the infirmary. Draco took her arm

"Don't do this." He said with warning. But it was still a caring tone, almost worried. "You get like this, I know. Cold as ice and guarded as hell…but don't do this. You're hiding something." He could read her better than anyone.

"It was Snape" Sarah confessed. "He cornered me in the hall and cursed me. Could have done a lot worse." Sarah felt a sense of guilt telling Draco this. She knew he had looked up to Snape for so long, mostly because he always gave him a good grade but also because he managed to have a good balance of dark and light. Draco looked at her more carefully. He seemed to show a little more panic in his face.

"What? Why would Snape attack you? That doesn't make sense" Draco seemed to be trying to decipher more whether to believe her or not, rather than why it had happened.

"I don't know why. I was on my way to see you and he caught me in the hallway and dragged me upstairs. He started spewing out a bunch of garbage about 'someone like me' shouldn't be alone in the hallway. I didn't understand a word of it." Sarah couldn't look him in the eyes. "…You don't believe me do you?" She finally said, not being able to stand wondering if any of this was getting through.

"I believe you. Of course I believe you." Draco put both hands on Sarah's shoulders and looked her in the eyes "Did he hurt you?"

"No. He paralyzed me actually. The worst was just some little spark burns from the tip of his wand. I didn't even notice he cursed me." Sarah finally looked up at Draco. His face seemed whiter than usual, his eyes unblinking. "Draco, I swear I'm fine"

"My father's going to hear about this" Draco finally sputtered out. It was what he always said when he felt powerless.

"I don't want you to."

"Father will have a word with him; he wouldn't stand for anyone hurting you. I know that." Draco put a hand on Sarah's cheek "I can't stand for anyone hurting you."

"Draco, he didn't hurt me. He gave me a bit of a scare, that's for sure. He said he'd be going to Dumbledore about this anyway, so chances are I'll be able to tell him."

"Dumbledore is a bloody idiot, he wont do anything" Draco turned away, obviously getting more and more upset. He seemed angrier now.

"He's not an idiot. I trust him."

"After what he did to my father? What he did to my whole family?" Draco turned back towards her and snapped. Sarah was speechless; she knew when it was better to say nothing at all. She could read him just as well as he could her. "I'm sorry. I'm just…I don't…"

"Draco, you can't honestly expect to save me all the time do you?" Sarah smiled at him. "I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself." She giggled a little, simply to lighten the mood.

"I know…I know you can take care of yourself. I just feel like I should have been there. Like there was something I should have done. Met you halfway or something…just something."

"It's alright. Neither of us expected that to happen obviously." Sarah stepped forward and gave Draco a quick hug. "I'm safe and sound" she said and let go of him. Hugging wasn't something they did often, usually any physical gesture passed between them was a finger grazed across the other palm. Or a short squeeze of the arm in passing. For the most part at school they acted as if they were only acquaintances. Growing up they were taught that showing that you care for someone makes them vulnerable to harm and yourself weak. So they had long ago decided not to let anyone see this side of them, the side of them that couldn't live without the other. It was a private part of their lives they both held close to their heart.

"We should really get back. It was nearly midnight when I came up here" Draco said, adjusting himself slightly.

"Alright, well I'll see you later then." Sarah said and began to walk out the door.

"I'm walking you to Gryffindor tower." Draco said bluntly, as if there was no questioning it. Sarah of course ignored that.

"No you aren't. You aren't suppose to."

"I won't be able to sleep at all tonight unless I know for a fact you are safe in the tower." Draco walked out of the infirmary along side Sarah. "Just, let me.

"Alright, fine." Sarah reluctantly agreed.

They walked along in silence, casually glancing at each other every once in a while.

"Thank you" Sarah said just moments before they arrived outside the portrait covering the door to Gryffindor tower.

"What for?"

"Caring." A blunt statement made by Sarah true, but she didn't care. "I really don't know what would happen to me…you know…if I didn't have you around."

"Same here." Draco smiled. It was the first genuine smile he'd had all night. Sarah stopped abruptly in front of the portrait.

"You aren't suppose to be out this late" the fat lady in pink bellowed at her.

"I'm sorry, I was in the infirmary." Sarah apologized sincerely but the fat lady simply looked her and Draco up and down and scoffed.

"Right" She said finally "well are you going to give me the password or not?"

"Bell-" she began but the fat lady cut her off

"Not in front of a Slytherin! I don't want to give him an excuse to be able to get in" She said rudely.

"I'll go" Draco said coldly. He looked at Sarah one last look and let his hand just barely touch hers. "Goodnight." He said before turning and leaving into the shadows.

"Really darling? A Slytherin boy?"

"Mind your own business and Bellerose already." Sarah said defensively. The fat lady took the hint and didn't say anything else, but simply let Sarah thought. It had been a very long night and Sarah was very tired.


	3. The Pitch

The next morning was thankfully a Saturday. Sarah slept in a full hour before she was awoken by the other girls banging around in their trunks for clothes and such. Sarah thought it best to just get up with the rest of them. The large circular room was hidden behind the bed curtains. Sarah always slept with them closed- unlike most of the other girls- because she hated being around the others but still didn't enjoy being alone. She flung open the curtains to find and short stout girl leap in surprise

"You scared the bloody hell out of me you know." The girl said. Sarah unfortunately hadn't made any friends in her room this year. Olive Hornby would be one of those girls she wasn't friends with. "You could say sorry…or anything for that matter."

"Sorry" Sarah said mutely. She wasn't, but she didn't want to make a fuss about anything. She got up and got dressed without talking to anyone else. All the other girls giggled and chatted, not once even thinking of joining Sarah into a conversation. She may as well have been invisible. And though she'd never admit it to anyone, she wished so much they'd at least try; the loneliness got to her often and she desperately wanted a friend to giggle and chat with just like everyone else. Too often she felt this lonely outsider affect, it was as if the other kids could sense that something in her…the deep dark she felt every time she looked in the mirror.

Sarah pushed all hope of casual conversation out of her mind as she descended the stairs to the common room. Not two seconds after her foot hit the last step did Ron Weasley jump in front of her.

"Good-morning" he said with a cheerful grin. This made Sarah smile uncontrollably. He was terribly cute with his freckles and his messy red hair, but she was more just happy that someone was talking to her- no matter how startling it was.

"Good morning" she said attentively and passed by him sitting in front of the fire place gathering the books she had left there the day before- before she had left to see Draco.

"You're feeling better I take it?" he asked, following her closely.

"Yes, I am thanks. Much better" Sarah smiled awkwardly.

"Good. Well good" Ron seemed to have run out of things to say. "I'm glad, you're alright" his ears and nose went bright pink.

"Ron?" Hermione came prancing in the room. She obviously saw Ron's pink complexion because as she came closer to Sarah her face turned more sour than usual. "Feeling better?" she asked formally.

"Fine" Sarah replied bluntly. She felt no need to get into any great detail about the previous night.

"Ron, didn't you say you were going to come with me this morning?" Hermione asked.

"Go with you where?" Ron look confused. Sarah could already see the ruse playing out. She didn't care to stand around for the cliché, and simply picked up her books and left. "Thanks Hermione" Sarah heard Ron say in a deep tone.

Sarah had nothing to do on this particular Saturday. She was all caught up in her classes and wasn't worried about any projects or deadlines. She slowly walked through the halls alone as she had done so many times before. The loneliness didn't often affect her, but she still would rather have companionship. In any case, she figured today would be a good day to go for a fly. It was a warmer morning and it was still too early for the pitch to be overrun with Quidditch kids. She headed in the direction of the pitch to pick up an un-used broom from the Gryffindor shed. The shed was usually locked but she had long since figured out how to break it open.

It took her only a few minutes to reach the end of the long walkway to the Quidditch pitch. It was a fairly nice day for flying really, with clear skies and a hefty enough breezes to give a bit of a fight. That's how she loved to fly; always with a bit of a fight. After getting her broom she walked out onto the pitch but after only a few moments she realized she was not alone. The faint swooshing sound from above indicated someone else choose this morning to practice.

"Good morning" She heard, looking up the sun nearly blinded her

"Hi" Sarah chirped, though she had no idea who exactly she was saying it to

"You're looking well today, feeling better?"

"Harry Potter?" Sarah assumed

"well, that would be my name" he said with a smile in his voice. "What are you doing out here so early?"

"I was…well..." Sarah sputtered out "I just wanted to see if the pitch was empty. Sometimes I come out here to fly around a bit" she had been slightly hiding the room behind her back but how held it out in the open.

"You fly? He sounded surprised which felt slightly insulting.

"Why would you think otherwise?" She asked coyly

"You just don't seem the type"

"Well I guess you'll know what type I am after I'm done flying circles around you" she bated, mounting her broom only seconds after to rise to his level

"Oh really?" Harry smiled at her. Sarah didn't have to guess why all the younger girls and even quite a few of the older ones all had infatuations with Harry. Not only was he seem as some sort of hero, but he also had _that_ smile. To which Sarah fell victim and began to blush.

Harry and Sarah flew the pitch for over an hour together. They talked, they competed and Sarah even beat Harry to the snitch a few times. He underestimated her and forgot the fact that she did in fact live with the Slytherin Seeker and had many hours of practiced logged in Seeker training.

"You're bloody good" he said as they walked up the pitch to get back to the school.

"You're alright" she teased.

"Why did you never try out?"

"What would be the point? I've only ever played seeker before and I couldn't very well show up the great Harry Potter in front of the whole school now could I? Where would they be without their trusted leader?" The remark must have stung at Harry slightly, because he didn't have any sort of comeback for it. "Sorry." Sarah quickly apologized. More to herself than Harry, because she may have just in that very instant severed all possibility of friendship with him.

"It's alright. I get stuff like that a lot."

"I'm just…well in all honesty not used to hearing about you or talking about you in good context. You're not very popular in the Malfoy household. None of the Malfoy's, as you can imagine like you very much."

"You talk about them as if you're something else" Harry said, though it wasn't supposed to be harsh it still felt that way. It was unintentionally a very personal attack.

"I'm not" She snapped turning to Harry to stare him straight in the eyes "I'm not one of them"

"But…I'm sorry, aren't you Draco's sister?" His eyebrow rose inquisitively, he looked very cute. _Focus Sarah_. She had to tell herself.

"His sister?" She had never heard such a thing, though it would probably be common knowledge that she was, as she lived with them and on occasion was referred to as 'Sarah Malfoy' "why would make you think that?" she asked anyway

"What wouldn't?"

"Good point…."

"So then what are you?"

"Last I checked I was a person. But you never know in days like these" She left cornered by Harry, she never told anyone about her, or her relationship with the Malfoy's

"I mean in relation to the Malfoy's. If you aren't related to them, then why do you have the same last name? Or live with them."

"Don't you think this is all getting rather personal Harry? I don't know you; I don't ask you tons of questions, bombarding you. I live with them, that is it. They are the only family I have which at least more than you can say." The coldness ran from Sarah's lips before she could stop it. The art of hurting people on a deep and personal level came easy to her after years of witnessing it all around her. The only difference was, you can't witness guilt, only feel it. In this moment guilt overtook her. She stormed away without another word back to the school and back to her room.


	4. I like you'

The next few days were uneventful. The only change from her everyday life was that Ron Weasley- despite the fact that she verbally pummeled his best friend- seemed to still have a genuine interest in her. He would walk with her to the class they had together. And in the common room-though they didn't talk very much, he still sat with her just for the company. He offered to be partners for an upcoming assignment. They were to pick a Witch or Wizard who profoundly changed the way we view magic, whether with a new spell or philosophy which they then needed to demonstrate to the class. It was hours of researching the library, and Sarah had no problem with spending that time with Ron.

"Have you found anything useful yet?" Ron asked slamming down yet another dusty old book.

"Nothing…at…all" Sarah was virtually bored out of her mind.

"Right, well I give up. I don't want to do this anymore" Ron dropped the book onto the floor and put his head in his arms on the surface of the desk.

"Oh, don't give up Ron, something will just find its way to us, soon." Sarah smiled, trying to keep positive as her partner slowly withered.

"Right." Ron said sarcastically. "Well, now that I've got nothing to do, I want to ask you something?"

"No, I will not make out with you behind the bookshelf" Sarah said jokingly and laughed. Ron didn't get it, he blushed furiously.

"Uh, it's not that" he coughed uncomfortably.

"Well…out with it already?"

"Harry." Ron said simply. Sarah felt instantaneous urge to justify herself, even though it was probably hopeless.

"Ron…listen I didn't mean what I said to him, I just…get pretty horrid sometimes, I really like Harry, he's only ever been sweet to me. We had such a good time that morning, I just…snapped"

"Uh…no, Hi Harry" Ron was staring just above Sarah's shoulder and suddenly she felt her face turn hot. She jumped up quickly, nearly hitting Harry with the chair; he had been standing behind her.

"Hi Sarah" he said calmly, not letting slip any emotion. Sarah couldn't figure if he was angry, if he hated her. She feared the worst. She let out a strange mumble that was suppose to be Hello but sounded more like "emlo"

"I was sent down here to get you." He stared straight into her eyes. She felt like he was somehow invading her privacy, like she was totally exposed to him. It was unnerving, but also exciting. Attention from boys had never been anything she had a problem with, but she never had any real friends. Draco was overall, it.

"Ron, we'll see you later" Harry said giving his friend a wave. Ron waved back

"Right" she said and began packing up.

"Come on Sarah." Harry just turned on his heel and walked away. He was mad, she knew it. She packed up her little shoulder bag with the book she was writing in as well as her quills and such. Harry left without waiting and she caught up with him down the hall.

"Wait Harry!" she called after him. He stopped and leaned up against a wall waiting for her impatiently. "Harry, I'm so…I'm sorry" she looked him back in the eyes, trying to convey how much she meant it. "I'm horrible, I know, I'm so sorry." And with that, a little success, he smiled at her. _He wasn't mad?_ She asked herself. _Perhaps he was, and has simply gotten over it._

"It's alright. Come on." He tugged her sweater to bring her along. A shot ran thought Sarah. _He touched me!_ She walked on, giddy as could be.

"Where are we going?" Sarah finally thought to ask, after the euphoria of being touched wore off.

"The headmaster's office" He said coolly.

"What!" she stopped in the middle of the hall "Why? What'd I do?" She began to panic slightly, if Snape had gone to the headmaster, if he had lied-which he most likely did- then chances are the Malfoy's would be called. This would be the last thing Sarah could handle.

"It's probably about the other night. You said that Snape caught you in the halls didn't you?"

"Why would the headmaster need to see me about that? Shouldn't I just get a detention" Sarah began to panic, she didn't understand. Why would the headmaster of all people, need to talk to her about anything? She'd never had a longer than 30 second conversation with him. She did her best to stay out of any kind of trouble at all. Only once before had she ever really been scolded at school, and chances are a big part of that was to do with her Malfoy family. She may have gotten a few misconducts for her temper or her behavior towards several teachers and students, but never had she gotten in any real trouble. Even when she would be mixed up in some of Draco's pranks, they'd call the Malfoy's about Draco, but never Sarah.

"Why did he send you to get me?" She asked, trying her best to stay off topic to calm herself down.

"I was in his office"

"Why?"

"It's sort of personal"

"Oh, sorry" Sarah just felt stupid, she couldn't think of anything logical to say, everything just came out silly. She wondered if he felt the same way. She told herself over and over that he did not. How could he? After how she has acted towards him? It was unfair of her to presume she deserved his friendship; it was silly to think that he'd ever-

"I like you a lot, and maybe in time I can trust you will secrets like that. For now let's just keep things simple."

"What!?" Sarah couldn't believe what she heard "You like me?" giddiness grew inside her that she simply couldn't contain. A huge smile came across her face and she began to slightly bounce around Harry. "You like me? As in, like me? Want to be around me and talk to me…you like me?"

Harry laughed at her "yeah, I like you. You can be nice…when you want to." He began to blush slightly. He didn't mean anything romantic by it; she knew that, but the notion of having an actual friend. Who would of course admit he was her friend was just too exciting to believe. She wanted to dance around and laugh and smile and cry. It seemed so silly, it was very simple thing for him to say- but then again, Sarah had never had a real friend.

"Wow" was all she could say. She stopped bouncing out of fear of looking like an idiot. Even if he did like her, she didn't want to give him a reason not to.

"You're ridiculous." Harry stated bluntly. "In a nice way, but still ridiculous"

"Well, you have to understand, I'm not exactly popular-" Harry cut her off

"Well I certainly know that! I tried asking around about you in Gryffindor but no one knew anything, and the girls told me I shouldn't even bother with you, they started gossiping like mad when I brought you up. So popularity isn't something you seem to be good at" Harry smiled, he meant no offence, but the remark still stung.

"Yeah, I've never really had a friend. Well, one willing to admit they are my friend"

"That's sort of pathetic-in an endearing way of course, but still pathetic none the less" Harry said. She wasn't used to hearing him talk like this; he was always a shy sweet boy in her mind, without any kind of negative opinion of anyone. She rather liked this Harry, who didn't hold back from saying what he meant. It was a quality she had long loved about Draco. _Draco._ In that moment it stuck her. _How can I be friends with Draco's worst enemy? Not only Draco's but all the Malfoy's, and their friends, and their friends, friends….Oh no. _As if on queue Draco came around the corner.

"Damn" she let slip, and then shoved Harry into an alcove. He didn't go easily, and shouted when he hit the wall and she kept pushing.

"Sarah?" her heart leapt. She was going to cram herself into the alcove as well to hide from Draco all together, but somehow he always knew when she was around, like he could sense her.

"Draco." She smiled and walked forward to him, blocking all together the view of the alcove.

"I was looking for you earlier, where were you?"

"I was in the Library with Ron" she admitted. _Damn._ She thought_, I shouldn't have mentioned Ron_

"What on earth were you doing with that weasel?" He scoffed arrogantly.

"Draco, play nice. I have to do a project with him for History"

"Oh, you poor dear." Draco was being a prat. Then Sarah noticed why, Pansy bloody Parkinson was standing just a few meters away. For some reason he seemed the feel the need to be nastier when he was around her. Some sick form of impressing her and the worst part is that it always did impress Pansy.

"What is she doing with you?" Sarah asked, scowling down the hall

"Jealous?" Draco laughed.

"No! Of course not." She lied, she was jealous. Not only because Pansy could openly socialize with Draco, but because the Malfoy's favored her. She was the perfect little Slytherin and Sarah was the mistake in Gryffindor. Sarah had once caught the Malfoy's discussing with the Parkinson's about a hypothetical wedding Draco and Pansy would have. It drove Sarah mad.

"Right, Well." Draco leaned in closer to her. Putting his hands on her arms and nearly pressing his chest to hers, and speaking in a soft whisper "I want to see you later."

"You always want to see me" Sarah's giddy mood gone, she now felt very venomous.

"Will you come? Please. I want to talk to you about something" He grazed his hand along her jaw "I've been thinking about something."

"You? Thinking? There's a surprise. I guess I should brace myself." She snapped. Pulling her face away from his hand.

"Don't be like that. You and I, later." He gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. This was unusual. She felt very unsure about what she should do next. Kissing was not on their list of acceptability's in public- or even rarely in private for that matter. They had tried that before, when they were much younger and the idea of kissing fascinated them. Both parties quickly decided it was weird and they simply avoided doing so whenever possible.

"Alright" she said, mostly just to make him leave, but partly because she had no idea what she was suppose to do now. She stood there frozen as he walked down the hall and turned the corner with Pansy.

"That was awkward." Harry came out of the alcove instantly. Sarah jumped, totally forgetting that he was there.

"Sorry." She said bluntly. Her good mood was totally gone. She felt totally emotionally cut off from Harry now. She wanted to curl up and hide from him. She strongly resisted the urge to say something mean to get him away from her. It was a defense she commonly used, but having just acquired this new friend, scaring him off just because she was in a bad mood would not be in her best interest.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked, he looked puzzled but concerned. _How does he know I'm not? Maybe he's just asking to be polite… _ran through her head.

"Fine. Let's just go." She began to walk away towards to head masters office.


End file.
